# Must See TV

Must See TV was an American advertising slogan that was used by NBC to brand its primetime blocks during the 1990s, and most often applied to the network's Thursday night lineup, which featured some of its most popular sitcoms and drama series of the period, allowing the network to dominate prime time ratings on Thursday nights in the 1980s and 1990s. Ratings for NBC's lineup fell during the mid-to-late 2000s. The slogan was retired in 2015 amidst NBC's transition to airing more drama series on Thursday nights. The branding returned for the 2017–18 television season but was removed for a second time in 2021.

## Usage

In popular culture, the phrase is most strongly associated with the network's entire Thursday night lineup, including both sitcoms and dramas, which dominated the ratings from the 1980s through the late 1990s.
As originally conceived, "Must See TV" originally applied to sitcoms only (dramas would normally be promoted separately), and for much of the 1990s the phrase was used several nights a week as an attempt at brand extension. At one point in the fall of 1997, the brand was used five nights a week, with four sitcoms a night from Monday to Thursday and two more on Sunday. NBC itself would later adopt the more common interpretation; the 2002 retrospective, 20 Years of Must See TV, focused on NBC's overall dominance on Thursday nights from 1982 onwards, and overlooked extensions such as "Must See TV Tuesday."

## History
### First years

By 1979, NBC had fallen to third place in the Nielsen ratings. Network executive Fred Silverman, who previously led ABC and CBS to the top of the ratings, joined the network a year earlier, however, he could not bring the same ratings success he had as programming whiz at the latter two networks, resulting in a string of new programs that were derided by critics and eventually being canceled after a few showings. The 1980-81 television season was the low point for NBC; as the network had only three shows in the Nielsen top 20; one of them, Diff'rent Strokes, which stars Gary Coleman and initially aired on Fridays to modest ratings, entered NBC's Thursday night lineup for the 1981–82 season, which, prior to the season, Silverman left NBC in the summer of 1981, and was replaced by Brandon Tartikoff. The 1981 fall season marked the very first time NBC made an attempt to create a two-hour comedy block on Thursday nights comprising the 8–10 p.m. slot, with Diff'rent Strokes being joined by the returning Harper Valley (starring Barbara Eden, formerly from I Dream of Jeannie), and newcomers Gimme a Break! (starring Nell Carter) and Lewis & Clark (starring Gabe Kaplan, formerly from Welcome Back, Kotter), all of them being followed by the critical-acclaimed police drama Hill Street Blues. Midway through the 1981–82 season, Harper Valley and Lewis & Clark were removed from NBC's Thursday schedule, and later canceled, being replaced by Fame, a musical television series based on the 1980 film of the same name.

### Success in the 1980s

Branding the quality Thursday night lineup began during the 1982-83 season, which NBC promoted Fame, Hill Street Blues, Taxi (which was renewed by the network after being canceled by ABC at the end of its fourth season) and new arrival Cheers, as "America's Best Night of Television on Television". Diff'rent Strokes and Gimme a Break! were moved to Saturday nights at the beginning of the season, with Strokes remaining on that night until its cancellation in 1985 (only to be renewed by ABC for an additional season), and Break! returning to Thursday nights following the underperformance of Taxi, which at mid-season, was moved to Saturdays, and later to Wednesdays, to be eventually canceled for a second time by NBC. Fame also ended its two-season run on NBC to be revived the following season in first-run syndication, with a mid-season replacement, Mama's Family (starring Vicki Lawrence), which initially aired on Saturdays, moving to Thursdays during the summer, following Fame's removal from NBC's schedule. Meanwhile, Cheers, which debuted with critical acclaim, ended its first season with unimpressive ratings, as the fourth-lowest rated show for the 1982-83 season (74th out of 77 in that year's ratings); rather than being canceled early on by NBC, the show was renewed for a second season, mostly due to its viewership which slowly began to rise, through its first-season summer reruns, which eventually earned higher ratings than when it first premiered; and its early success at the Primetime Emmy Awards –receiving for its first season, 13 nominations for the 35th Primetime Emmy Awards in 1983, and winning five of them, including an award for Outstanding Comedy Series–. Cheers remained as one of NBC's most successful shows on Thursday nights, becoming a top-ten hit staring with its fourth season, and earning 28 Primetime Emmy Awards from a record of 117 nominations.
The 1983-84 season saw none of NBC's fall new shows to be renewed for a second season, and Thursday nights weren't the exception. One of the new shows that season, was the sitcom We Got It Made, starring Teri Copley, which initially started with strong ratings, however, critics and the general public lambasted the show, which eventually damaged its viewership. In December 1983, We Got It Made and Mama's Family were moved to Saturdays and later canceled at the end of the 1983-84 season, with both shows reviving years later for syndication. Also, in December of that year, NBC decided to change its Thursday lineup, adding to that night Michael J. Fox's Emmy-winning sitcom Family Ties and Dabney Coleman's Emmy-nominated series Buffalo Bill. In the spring of 1984, Buffalo Bill was canceled by NBC after two seasons and was replaced by another short-lived comedy The Duck Factory, eventually replaced by newcomer Night Court, starring Harry Anderson (nominated three times as Best Lead Actor in a Comedy Series at the Emmys for his role as Judge Harry Stone) and John Larroquette (who won four consecutive Emmys for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his role as Dan Fielding), which aired initially on Wednesdays as a mid-season replacement and was moved to Thursdays during the summer, becoming a staple of NBC's Thursday comedy night in the following years.
What marked the beginning of NBC's dominance on Thursday nights was during the 1984-85 season, when the network premiered a new show to lead that evening: The Cosby Show, receiving critical acclaim, with TV Guide listing the series as "TV's biggest hit in the 1980s", adding it "almost single-handedly revived the sitcom genre and NBC's ratings fortunes". The enormous success of Cosby (which earned a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series in 1985, and became the highest-rated sitcom and the third-most watched show overall of the 1984-85 season in the US) also helped the other shows on its Thursday night lineup increase its ratings dramatically, with Family Ties entering the top-ten for the first time; and both Cheers and Night Court entering the top-twenty; while Hill Street Blues remained steadily on the top-thirty. When Cosby debuted, it marked a major turning point for NBC as well, as the network rose to second place at the end of the season; and reached first place at the end of the 1985-86 season, with Cosby spending five consecutive seasons as the number-one rated show on American television, and tying with CBS' All in the Family, as the only sitcoms in history of the Nielsen ratings as the number-one show for five seasons, earning several accolades, including six Primetime Emmy Awards from 23 nominations.
From mid to late 1980s, NBC decided to move some of their most successful shows to make room for new freshman hits. Hill Street Blues, which enjoyed success during most of its run on Thursday nights since its debut, was moved midway through its seventh and final season to Tuesdays, being replaced by the new legal drama L.A. Law, which debuted on Friday nights, and later became another successful show inside NBC's Thursday lineup, spending almost its entire run at the 10 p.m. slot until the series ended in 1994. Other hits on NBC Thursday nights included Cosby spinoff A Different World (premiered in 1987 and replaced Family Ties, which was moved to Sunday nights that year until its end in 1989), and Dear John, Judd Hirsch's starring vehicle after Taxi (premiered in 1988 and replaced Night Court, which was moved back to its original Wednesday night that year until its end in 1992). Eventually, Dear John, then on its second season, was moved to Wednesdays (alongside Night Court) and was replaced by the sitcom Grand, which premiered in 1990, but enjoyed moderate success, and was canceled by NBC at the end of the year after two abbreviated seasons. That same year, a mid-season replacement, Wings (created by Cheers producers David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee) saw its debut, and began to enjoy popularity among viewers on Thursday nights in the following years. As a result of this, NBC ended the 1980s decade as the number-one network on both Thursday nights and overall.

### Early 1990s doldrums

However, that dominance during the 1980s, would begin to fade by the start of the 1990-91 season, as the growing popularity of ABC Tuesday and Friday night lineups and Fox's decision to move freshman hit The Simpsons to Thursdays to compete with Cosby partly contributed its viewership decline gradually. Cosby slipped down to fifth place, while Cheers reached number one on the Nielsen ratings for the first time; however, NBC itself, dropped to second place behind a resurgent ABC. The 1991-92 and 1992-93 seasons were two of NBC's weakest, as the network dropped to third place (behind CBS and ABC) for the first time since 1983. Ratings for The Cosby Show and A Different World decreased considerably and both shows were no longer inside the top-ten; while Wings continue to rise in popularity, entering the top-20 for the first time. Meanwhile, Cheers became the only NBC show (both in sitcoms and overall) to remain in the top-ten during the 1991–92 and 1992–93 seasons.
After Cosby aired its one-hour final episode in the spring of 1992, several changes were made to the NBC Thursday night lineup for the 1992-93 season: a new sitcom, Rhythm & Blues, premiered to only be pulled off by the network after five episodes, and was replaced by another new sitcom, Out All Night, starring Patti LaBelle, but it wasn't a ratings success as well, and shortly after it was canceled too. Meanwhile, A Different World saw its ratings drop dramatically after its parent series ended its run, and later was removed from NBC's Thursday schedule in 1993 and replaced by re-runs of Cheers. That same year, Seinfeld, which initially struggled from its debut in 1989 as a summer series, was moved from Wednesdays to Thursdays to join Wings and Cheers, with the latter series ending in May after 11 seasons, with its series finale being the second-highest-rated series finale of all-time behind the series finale of M*A*S*H and the highest-rated episode of the 1992–93 season in the US.

### First run (1993–2006)
#### Brand debuts (1993–94)

The "Must See" slogan was created by Dan Holm, an NBC promotional producer, during a network promo brainstorming session in June 1993 at NBC's West Coast headquarters in Burbank, California. "Must See TV" made its first appearance in NBC promotions in August 1993 and included the day of the week: "Must See TV Thursday". The advertisement ended with the sentence "Get home early for Must See TV Thursday". In late summer of 1993, NBC wanted viewers to tune in an hour prior to Seinfeld, and created the "Must See TV" slogan to brand the comedy block. The first "Must See TV" block promo aired during late summer repeats and promoted Wings, Seinfeld, Cheers (which also previewed the fall premiere of its spin-off, Frasier) and new arrival Mad About You, which initially debuted on Wednesdays and later moved to Saturdays, starring Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt, with the latter winning the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series four years in a row (from 1996 to 1999); the show itself also received five Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Comedy Series.
The "Must See TV" slogan continued in every NBC Thursday night comedy promo throughout the 1993-94 television season to promote the 8–10 p.m. comedy block. The new show premiering that fall was Frasier, developed by Wings creators and Cheers producers David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee, which stars Kelsey Grammer reprising his Cheers role as Frasier Crane, and eventually became one of the most-critically acclaimed comedy series of all time and one of the most successful spin-off series in television history. The series won a total of 37 Primetime Emmy Awards during its 11-year run, breaking the record long held by CBS' The Mary Tyler Moore Show (29). It held the record until 2016 when Game of Thrones won 38. Grammer and David Hyde Pierce each won four, including one each for the fifth and eleventh seasons. The series is tied with ABC's Modern Family for the most consecutive wins for Outstanding Comedy Series, winning five from 1994 to 1998.

#### Explosive success in the 1990s (1994–2000)

For the 1994-95 season, three new shows premiered that fall. The first one, Friends, debuted to become a critical and ratings success, spending its entire 10-season run inside the top-ten most-watched programs in the United States, including a season at number one (season eight), and being nominated for 62 Primetime Emmy Awards, winning six of them. The second one, ER, debuted to become the second longest-running primetime medical drama in American television history behind ABC's Grey's Anatomy; the highest awarded medical drama, winning 128 industry awards from 442 nominations, including the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series in 1996. The third and final one, Madman of the People only enjoyed moderate success and was canceled before the 1994-95 season ended, despite being the 12th most watched show in the US. Seinfeld and ER would end up battling the following four seasons for the honor of number-one show, before Seinfeld ended its run in 1998. After three seasons at third place, NBC rose to second place at the end of the 1994-95 season.
On November 3, 1994, NBC's Thursday night lineup featured the "Blackout Thursday" programming stunt, in which three of the four sitcoms on that night's "Must See TV" schedule incorporated a story line involving a power outage in New York City. The stunt started with Mad About You episode "Pandora's Box", in which Jamie Buchman (Helen Hunt) accidentally causes the blackout while trying to steal cable; it continued with the Friends episode "The One with the Blackout", featuring a sub-plot in which Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry) is trapped in an ATM vestibule with Victoria's Secret model Jill Goodacre and ended with the Madman of the People episode "Birthday in the Big House" (the Seinfeld episode that followed Friends and preceded Madman, "The Gymnast", did not have a blackout story line though was promoted as part of the event).
The 1995-96 season, brought more success for NBC, as the network rose again to first place in the Nielsen ratings in six years. In addition to Seinfeld, Friends and ER, two new shows debuted, which became successful during their first seasons: The Single Guy, starring Jonathan Silverman (previously from Gimme a Break!); and Caroline in the City, starring Lea Thompson (previously from the Back to the Future film trilogy); with both shows entering the top-ten. However, as the decade was progressing, several shows were moving from its original Thursday night to different nights and timeslots, due to NBC's plan to expand the "Must See TV" programming to at least two or three nights during the week; causing several shows saw their viewership decreasing, and eventually being canceled afterwards. Despite this, NBC dominated once again Thursday nights for the rest of the 1990s decade, with other shows joining and becoming hits for the network, such as Will & Grace; Suddenly Susan starring Brooke Shields; and Veronica's Closet, Kirstie Alley's starring vehicle since Cheers. The series finale of Seinfeld, "The Finale", became the fourth-most watched overall series finale in the US after M*A*S*H, Cheers and The Fugitive, with its ninth and final season reaching the top of the Nielsen ratings, becoming only the third show finishing its runs at the top of the ratings, following I Love Lucy and The Andy Griffith Show. Consequently, Friends emerged as NBC's biggest television show after the 1998 Seinfeld final broadcast.

#### Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights

Seeing how "Must See TV" dominated prime time on Thursdays, NBC felt that the same marketing power could translate into success for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday nights.
The expansion began during the 1994–95 season, when NBC added a second night comedy block: "Must See TV Tuesday", with Frasier and Wings moving to that night and being joined by The John Larroquette Show and The Martin Short Show (being replaced later by a mid-season replacement, NewsRadio). The "Must See TV Tuesday" was created to compete with ABC's powerhouse Tuesday lineup, which includes flagship hits such as Home Improvement, Full House and Grace Under Fire. 3rd Rock from the Sun entered "Must See TV Tuesday" during the 1995–96 season, which also saw the debut of NBC's third night of "Must See TV" on Sunday nights, with the premiere of Brotherly Love and Minor Adjustments (both shows were later canceled by NBC during the season, and were picked up by The WB and UPN, respectively), and the moves of Mad About You and freshman comedy Hope and Gloria from Thursdays to Sundays. For the 1996-97 season, NBC added another "Must See TV" comedy block on Wednesdays, which included Wings (which entered its eighth and final season), Larroquette (which was abruptly cancelled midway its fourth season), NewsRadio and new arrival Men Behaving Badly, all being followed by the legal drama Law & Order.
For the 1997-98 season, NBC expanded the "Must See TV" programming block into five nights a week, with four sitcoms a night from Monday to Thursday, and two on Sundays. However, though it received heavy promotion by NBC, all four nights did not replicate the enormous success of "Must See TV Thursday". The Sunday one-hour comedy was officially dropped out, following Men Behaving Badly's abrupt cancellation and NBC's decision to not renew the Jenny McCarthy show Jenny after its first season, in order to gave priority to air two hours of Dateline NBC, followed by the NBC Sunday Night Movie. NBC's most successful "Must See TV Wednesday" sitcom for the season was 3rd Rock from the Sun (which initially aired on Tuesdays, and later aired on Sundays), with other shows: The Tony Danza Show (starring Tony Danza, formerly from Who's the Boss?); Working (starring Fred Savage, formerly from The Wonder Years); and Build to Last not surviving after one or two seasons. Meanwhile, NBC's "Must See TV Monday" night featured sitcoms centered around a professional single woman, including Caroline in the City, Suddenly Susan, Fired Up and The Naked Truth, which all of them debuted on Thursdays to a strong start, but their ratings underperformed following their moves to Mondays. The trend would continue until the 1999-00 season, when NBC started promoting Mondays and Wednesdays in a standard fashion, leaving Thursdays and Tuesdays, the only "Must See TV" programming nights. Frasier returned to Thursday nights after Seinfeld ended its run, taking its 9:00 PM timeslot (eventually it was moved back to Tuesdays starting with the 2000-01 season until the show ended in 2004).

#### Decline and end of original run (2000–2006)

By the early 2000s, Friends and ER were still performing strong on Thursday nights. However, as the decade was progressing, the "Must See TV" slogan had fallen by the wayside in NBC's promotions; more importantly, NBC had gone from the top-rated network on Thursday nights to second behind CBS, eventually third behind ABC and ultimately a distant fourth behind Fox, but NBC itself didn't develop hit shows to replace long-running staples Friends, Frasier, Seinfeld, and Will & Grace.
After airing a two-hour comedy block on Thursday for 21 straight seasons, NBC broke with tradition in 2004 by replacing the 9 p.m. hour with the hour-long reality competition program The Apprentice, although its Thursday night lineup retained its top 20 position.
Thursday programming has also become increasingly stronger on other networks. CBS was first to break through with its lineup of Survivor, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and later Without a Trace. For the 2010–11 season, CBS moved the highly rated comedy The Big Bang Theory, which had become the highest-rated sitcom in the United States, to the Thursday 8:00 p.m. slot, and Two and a Half Men to the 8:30 p.m. slot, which earned very strong ratings.
ABC had success on Thursday nights with its hit reality series, Dancing with the Stars, before moving the program to Mondays in 2006 (where it has remained since). In the fall of 2006, sophomore drama Grey's Anatomy was moved to Thursdays to counter CSI; ABC's lineup of Ugly Betty and Grey's Anatomy has proved successful in the 18- to 49-year-old demographic, and the 2011 transfer of Fox's American Idol, regarded as the longest reigning #1 program on U.S. television from 2004 to 2011, into the Thursday timeslot adversely affected NBC's ratings for Thursday primetime programming lineup since that television season.
The "Must See TV" slogan reappeared briefly in early 2006 with the addition of two critically acclaimed and ratings-successful comedies, My Name Is Earl and The Office, in an attempt to re-establish a four-sitcom block after the rise and fall of The Apprentice, which was moved to Monday nights.

### Comedy Night Done Right (2006–2012)

In November 2006, NBC rebranded the Thursday format with a different slogan, "Comedy Night Done Right", and added another two critically acclaimed shows, Scrubs and 30 Rock, to the lineup, forming an entire lineup of comedy series without laugh tracks or the multiple-camera setup common with past "Must See TV" comedies.
On January 20, 2011, NBC rebranded the night once again, renaming it "Comedy Night Done Right – All Night", adding a third hour of comedies at 10 p.m. (the network had previously run a three-hour comedy lineup once annually on Thursdays during the late 1990s and early 2000s as a programming stunt). The three-hour comedy block was discontinued in the fall of 2011, when the night reverted to two hours of comedies and one drama and, in 2012, two hours of comedy and the news magazine Rock Center.

### Change and record ratings lows

Prior to the 2013 fall season, NBC cancelled or ended nine of its eleven comedies, including the long-running 30 Rock and The Office, in an effort to broaden its comedy lineup. In May 2013, NBC picked up three family comedies (The Michael J. Fox Show, Sean Saves the World and Welcome to the Family) and rebranded its Thursday night lineup as "NBC's New Family of Comedies" for the fall season.
The debut of The Michael J. Fox Show was the lowest-rated Thursday fall comedy series premiere in network history. One week later, the debut of Welcome to the Family became the new record-holder, with Sean Saves the World ranking as the second lowest ever.
On October 10, 2013, NBC tied an all-time low on Thursday nights (tied with May 17, 2012), while finishing in fourth place (or combined with programming on Spanish-language network Univision, along with Thursday Night Football on NFL Network and Major League Baseball playoff coverage on TBS, seventh) for the night. On November 21, 2013, NBC averaged a 1.0 in the adults 18–49 age bracket, its lowest ever in-season average for regularly scheduled programming on the night. On the same night, The CW defeated the NBC comedy block, a first for the network. All three shows were eventually cancelled (Welcome to the Family was pulled three episodes into its first season, while The Michael J. Fox Show and Sean Saves the World were dropped shortly before the 2014 Winter Olympics; in the case of The Michael J. Fox Show, this was despite NBC giving a 22-episode order for the series prior to its debut) and were replaced by critically acclaimed (though low-rated) Thursday night mainstays Community and Parks and Recreation in January 2014, which were joined by Hollywood Game Night in late February.

### End of comedy programming (2014–16)

In May 2014, NBC announced their schedule for the upcoming fall schedule at upfronts, with only a single hour of Thursday comedy in fall for the first time since 2005. Veteran reality show The Biggest Loser would take the 8pm slot, followed by new comedies Bad Judge and A to Z and the final season of Parenthood. They also announced that drama The Blacklist would take the 9pm slot at mid-season the week following the Super Bowl, hinting at the end of NBC's Thursday comedy tradition.
In December 2014, NBC announced their mid-season schedule, with three dramas scheduled on Thursday to compete with ABC. This was the first time NBC had not aired comedies on Thursday since 1981, which put the Must See TV label on hiatus for three years. The final episodes of Parks and Recreation season seven were moved to Tuesdays, possibly in an attempt to burn off the last 13 episodes.
In May 2015, it was announced that NBC's Thursday broke into the Top 50 most watched programming for the first time in five years, with The Blacklist being number 14. It was the night's best showing since The Office was in the Top 50 in the 2009–10 season. NBC Thursday repeated its success in the next season, with The Blacklist at 22 and new drama Shades of Blue at 35.

### Second run (2016–2021)

In May 2016, NBC announced the return of Thursday comedy for the 2016–17 season with returning comedy Superstore and new comedy The Good Place for the first time in two years. NBC also began to broadcast the second half of the Thursday Night Football season in a simulcast with NFL Network in November, effectively breaking those shows' seasons into half-seasons.
In May 2017, NBC announced the return of the Must See TV branding, with Will & Grace and Great News set to air on Thursdays for the 2017–18 season in addition to Superstore and The Good Place. Outside of holiday specials for Will & Grace and Superstore, again all four shows had their seasons broken up by Thursday Night Football. Beginning with the 2018 NFL season, Thursday Night Football moved to Fox and eventually Amazon Prime Video, allowing NBC series to continue uninterrupted on Thursday nights aside from the traditional Thanksgiving and Christmas hiatuses.
In February 2021, it was announced that NBC's Thursday night comedy block would be replaced by a block of drama shows (specifically the Law & Order franchise), and the Must See TV slogan disappeared for the second time on NBC.

## NBC Thursday night lineup history

    Lime indicates the #1 most-watched program of the season.
    Yellow indicates the top-10 most-watched programs of the season.
    Cyan indicates the top-20 most watched programs of the season.
    Magenta indicates the top-30 most watched programs of the season.
    Orange indicates the top-40 most watched programs of the season.
    Silver indicates the top-50 most watched programs of the season.
| Year(s) / Season | Year(s) / Season | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM |
| Pre-Must See TV (1979–1982) ||||||||
| 1979–1980 | Fall | Buck Rogers in the 25th Century | Buck Rogers in the 25th Century | Quincy M.E. | Quincy M.E. | Kate Loves a Mystery | Kate Loves a Mystery |
| 1979–1980 | Winter | Buck Rogers in the 25th Century | Buck Rogers in the 25th Century | Quincy M.E. | Quincy M.E. | Skag | Skag |
| 1979–1980 | Spring | Buck Rogers in the 25th Century | Buck Rogers in the 25th Century | Quincy M.E. | Quincy M.E. | The Rockford Files | The Rockford Files |
| 1980–1981 | Fall | Games People Play | Games People Play | NBC Thursday Night Movie | NBC Thursday Night Movie | NBC Thursday Night Movie | NBC Thursday Night Movie |
| 1980–1981 | Winter | Buck Rogers in the 25th Century | Buck Rogers in the 25th Century | | NBC Thursday Night Movie | NBC Thursday Night Movie | NBC Thursday Night Movie | NBC Thursday Night Movie |
| 1980–1981 | Spring | Buck Rogers in the 25th Century | Buck Rogers in the 25th Century | NBC Thursday Night Movie | NBC Thursday Night Movie | NBC Thursday Night Movie | NBC Thursday Night Movie |
| 1981–1982 | Fall | Harper Valley | Lewis & Clark | Diff'rent Strokes | Gimme a Break! | Hill Street Blues | Hill Street Blues |
| 1981–1982 | Winter | Fame | Fame | | Diff'rent Strokes | Gimme a Break! | Hill Street Blues | Hill Street Blues |
| 1981–1982 | Spring | Fame | Fame | Diff'rent Strokes | Gimme a Break! | Hill Street Blues | Hill Street Blues |
| "The Best Night of Television on Television" (1982–1993) ||||||||
| 1982–1983 | Fall | Fame | Fame | Cheers | Taxi | Hill Street Blues | Hill Street Blues |
| 1982–1983 | Winter | Fame | Fame | Gimme a Break! | Cheers | Hill Street Blues | Hill Street Blues |
| 1982–1983 | Spring | Fame | Fame | Gimme a Break! | Cheers | Hill Street Blues | Hill Street Blues |
| 1983–1984 | Fall | Gimme a Break! | Mama's Family | We Got It Made | Cheers | Hill Street Blues | Hill Street Blues |
| 1983–1984 | Winter | Gimme a Break! | Family Ties | Cheers | Buffalo Bill | Hill Street Blues | Hill Street Blues |
| 1983–1984 | Spring | Gimme a Break! | Family Ties | Cheers | The Duck Factory | Hill Street Blues | Hill Street Blues |
| 1984–1985 | Fall | The Cosby Show | Family Ties | Cheers | Night Court | Hill Street Blues | Hill Street Blues |
| 1984–1985 | Winter | The Cosby Show | Family Ties | Cheers | Night Court | Hill Street Blues | Hill Street Blues |
| 1984–1985 | Spring | The Cosby Show | Family Ties | Cheers | Night Court | Hill Street Blues | Hill Street Blues |
| 1985–1986 | Fall | The Cosby Show | Family Ties | Cheers | Night Court | Hill Street Blues | Hill Street Blues |
| 1985–1986 | Winter | The Cosby Show | Family Ties | Cheers | Night Court | Hill Street Blues | Hill Street Blues |
| 1985–1986 | Spring | The Cosby Show | Family Ties | Cheers | All Is Forgiven / Night Court | Hill Street Blues | Hill Street Blues |
| 1986–1987 | Fall | The Cosby Show | Family Ties | Cheers | Night Court | Hill Street Blues | Hill Street Blues |
| 1986–1987 | Winter | The Cosby Show | Family Ties | Cheers | Night Court | L.A. Law | L.A. Law |
| 1986–1987 | Spring | The Cosby Show | Family Ties | Cheers | Nothing in Common | L.A. Law | L.A. Law |
| 1987–1988 | Fall | The Cosby Show | A Different World | Cheers | Night Court | L.A. Law | L.A. Law |
| 1987–1988 | Winter | The Cosby Show | A Different World | Cheers | Night Court | L.A. Law | L.A. Law |
| 1987–1988 | Spring | The Cosby Show | A Different World | Cheers | The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd | L.A. Law | L.A. Law |
| 1988–1989 | Fall | The Cosby Show | A Different World | Cheers | Dear John | L.A. Law | L.A. Law |
| 1988–1989 | Winter | The Cosby Show | A Different World | Cheers | Dear John | L.A. Law | L.A. Law |
| 1988–1989 | Spring | The Cosby Show | A Different World | Cheers | Dear John | L.A. Law | L.A. Law |
| 1989–1990 | Fall | The Cosby Show | A Different World | Cheers | Dear John | L.A. Law | L.A. Law |
| 1989–1990 | Winter | The Cosby Show | A Different World | Cheers | Grand | L.A. Law | L.A. Law |
| 1989–1990 | Spring | The Cosby Show | A Different World | Cheers | Wings | L.A. Law | L.A. Law |
| 1990–1991 | Fall | The Cosby Show | A Different World | Cheers | Grand | L.A. Law | L.A. Law |
| 1990–1991 | Winter | The Cosby Show | A Different World | Cheers | Wings | L.A. Law | L.A. Law |
| 1990–1991 | Spring | The Cosby Show | A Different World | Cheers | Seinfeld | L.A. Law | L.A. Law |
| 1991–1992 | Fall | The Cosby Show | A Different World | Cheers | Wings | L.A. Law | L.A. Law |
| 1991–1992 | Winter | The Cosby Show | A Different World | Cheers | Wings | L.A. Law | L.A. Law |
| 1991–1992 | Spring | The Cosby Show | A Different World | Cheers | Wings | L.A. Law | L.A. Law |
| 1992–1993 | Fall | A Different World | Rhythm & Blues | Cheers | Wings | L.A. Law | L.A. Law |
| 1992–1993 | Follow-up | Out All Night | A Different World | Cheers | Wings | L.A. Law | L.A. Law |
| 1992–1993 | Winter | Cheers (R) | Wings | Cheers | Seinfeld | L.A. Law | L.A. Law |
| 1992–1993 | Spring | Cheers (R) | Wings | Cheers | Seinfeld | Crime & Punishment / L.A. Law | Crime & Punishment / L.A. Law |
| Must See TV (1993–2006) ||||||||
| 1993–1994 | Fall | Mad About You | Wings | Seinfeld | Frasier | L.A. Law | L.A. Law |
| 1993–1994 | Winter | Mad About You | Wings | Seinfeld | Frasier | Homicide: Life on the Street | Homicide: Life on the Street |
| 1993–1994 | Spring | Mad About You | Wings | Seinfeld | Frasier | L.A. Law | L.A. Law |
| 1994–1995 | Fall | Mad About You | Friends | Seinfeld | Madman of the People | ER | ER |
| 1994–1995 | Winter | Mad About You | Friends | Seinfeld | Madman of the People | ER | ER |
| 1994–1995 | Spring | Mad About You | Hope & Gloria | Seinfeld | Friends | ER | ER |
| 1995–1996 | Fall | Friends | The Single Guy | Seinfeld | Caroline in the City | ER | ER |
| 1995–1996 | Winter | Friends | The Single Guy | Seinfeld | Caroline in the City | ER | ER |
| 1995–1996 | Spring | Friends | Boston Common | Seinfeld | Caroline in the City | ER | ER |
| 1996–1997 | Fall | Friends | The Single Guy | Seinfeld | Suddenly Susan | ER | ER |
| 1996–1997 | Winter | Friends | Suddenly Susan | Seinfeld | The Naked Truth | ER | ER |
| 1996–1997 | Spring | Friends | Suddenly Susan | Seinfeld | Fired Up | ER | ER |
| 1997–1998 | Fall | Friends | Union Square | Seinfeld | Veronica's Closet | ER | ER |
| 1997–1998 | Winter | Friends | Just Shoot Me! | Seinfeld | Veronica's Closet | ER | ER |
| 1997–1998 | Spring | Friends | Just Shoot Me! | Seinfeld | Veronica's Closet | ER | ER |
| 1998–1999 | Fall | Friends | Jesse | Frasier | Veronica's Closet | ER | ER |
| 1998–1999 | Winter | Friends | Jesse | Frasier | Veronica's Closet | ER | ER |
| 1998–1999 | Spring | Friends | Will & Grace | Frasier | Veronica's Closet | ER | ER |
| 1999–2000 | Fall | Friends | Jesse | Frasier | Stark Raving Mad | ER | ER |
| 1999–2000 | Winter | Friends | Jesse | Frasier | Stark Raving Mad | ER | ER |
| 1999–2000 | Spring | Friends | Daddio | Frasier | Battery Park | ER | ER |
| 2000–2001 | Fall | Friends | Cursed | Will & Grace | Just Shoot Me! | ER | ER |
| 2000–2001 | Winter | Friends | Cursed | Will & Grace | Just Shoot Me! | ER | ER |
| 2000–2001 | Spring | Friends | Cursed | Will & Grace | Just Shoot Me! | ER | ER |
| 2001–2002 | Fall | Friends | Inside Schwartz | Will & Grace | Just Shoot Me! | ER | ER |
| 2001–2002 | Winter | Friends | Leap of Faith | Will & Grace | Just Shoot Me! | ER | ER |
| 2001–2002 | Spring | Friends | Friends | Will & Grace | Just Shoot Me! | ER | ER |
| 2002–2003 | Fall | Friends | Scrubs | Will & Grace | Good Morning, Miami | ER | ER |
| 2002–2003 | Winter | Friends | Scrubs | Will & Grace | Good Morning, Miami | ER | ER |
| 2002–2003 | Spring | Friends | Scrubs | Will & Grace | Good Morning, Miami | ER | ER |
| 2003–2004 | Fall | Friends | Scrubs and Good Morning, Miami | Will & Grace | Coupling and Scrubs | ER | ER |
| 2003–2004 | Winter | Friends | Will & Grace | The Apprentice | The Apprentice | | ER | ER |
| 2003–2004 | Spring | Friends | Friends | Will & Grace | Scrubs | ER | ER |
| 2004–2005 | Fall | Joey | Will & Grace | The Apprentice | The Apprentice | ER | ER |
| 2004–2005 | Winter | Joey | Will & Grace | The Apprentice | The Apprentice | ER | ER |
| 2004–2005 | Spring | Joey | Will & Grace | The Apprentice | The Apprentice | ER | ER |
| 2005–2006 | Fall | Joey | Will & Grace | The Apprentice | The Apprentice | ER | ER |
| 2005–2006 | Winter | Will & Grace | Four Kings | My Name Is Earl | The Office | ER | ER |
| 2005–2006 | Spring | Will & Grace | My Name Is Earl | My Name Is Earl | The Office | ER | ER |
| Comedy Night Done Right (2006–2012) ||||||||
| 2006–2007 | Fall | My Name Is Earl | The Office | Deal or No Deal | Deal or No Deal | ER | ER |
| 2006–2007 | Winter | My Name Is Earl | The Office | Scrubs | 30 Rock | ER | ER |
| 2006–2007 | Spring | My Name Is Earl | The Office | 30 Rock | Andy Barker, P.I. | ER | ER |
| 2007–2008 | Fall | My Name Is Earl | 30 Rock | The Office | Scrubs | ER | ER |
| 2007–2008 | Winter | My Name Is Earl | The Office (R) | The Celebrity Apprentice | The Celebrity Apprentice | Lipstick Jungle | Lipstick Jungle |
| 2007–2008 | Spring | 30 Rock | Scrubs | The Office | 30 Rock | ER | ER |
| 2008–2009 | Fall | My Name Is Earl | Kath & Kim | The Office | SNL Weekend Update Thursday and 30 Rock | ER | ER |
| 2008–2009 | Winter | My Name Is Earl | Kath & Kim | The Office | 30 Rock | ER | ER |
| 2008–2009 | Spring | My Name Is Earl | Parks and Recreation | The Office | 30 Rock | Southland | Southland |
| 2009–2010 | Fall | SNL Weekend Update Thursday and Community | Parks and Recreation | The Office | Community and 30 Rock | The Jay Leno Show | The Jay Leno Show |
| 2009–2010 | Winter | Community | Parks and Recreation | The Office | 30 Rock | The Jay Leno Show | The Jay Leno Show |
| 2009–2010 | Spring | Community | Parks and Recreation | The Office | 30 Rock | The Marriage Ref | The Marriage Ref |
| 2010–2011 | Fall | Community | 30 Rock | The Office | Outsourced | The Apprentice | The Apprentice |
| 2010–2011 | Winter | Community | Perfect Couples | The Office | Parks and Recreation | 30 Rock | Outsourced |
| 2010–2011 | Spring | Community | The Paul Reiser Show | The Office | Parks and Recreation | 30 Rock | Outsourced |
| 2010–2011 | Spring | Community | The Office (R) | The Office | Parks and Recreation | 30 Rock | Outsourced |
| 2011–2012 | Fall | Community | Parks and Recreation | The Office | Whitney | Prime Suspect | Prime Suspect |
| 2011–2012 | Mid-season | 30 Rock | Parks and Recreation | The Office | Up All Night | The Firm | The Firm |
| 2011–2012 | Spring | 30 Rock | Parks and Recreation | The Office | Up All Night | Awake | Awake |
| 2011–2012 | Follow-up | Community | 30 Rock | The Office | Up All Night | Awake | Awake |
| 2011–2012 | Follow-up | Community | 30 Rock | The Office | Parks and Recreation | Awake | Awake |
| "We Peacock Comedy" Thursdays (2012–2013) ||||||||
| 2012–2013 | Fall | SNL Primetime: Election Special and 30 Rock | Up All Night | The Office | Parks and Recreation | Rock Center with Brian Williams | Rock Center with Brian Williams |
| 2012–2013 | Spring | Community | Parks and Recreation and The Office (R) | The Office | 1600 Penn / Go On / Parks and Recreation | Do No Harm | Do No Harm |
| 2012–2013 | Follow-up | Community | Parks and Recreation and The Office (R) | The Office | 1600 Penn / Go On / Parks and Recreation | Hannibal | Hannibal |
| NBC's Family of Comedies (2013–2014) ||||||||
| 2013–2014 | Fall | Parks and Recreation | Welcome to the Family / Parks and Recreation | Sean Saves the World | The Michael J. Fox Show | Parenthood | Parenthood |
| 2013–2014 | Mid-season | Community | Parks and Recreation | Sean Saves the World | The Michael J. Fox Show | Parenthood | Parenthood |
| 2013–2014 | Spring | Community | Parks and Recreation | Hollywood Game Night | Hollywood Game Night | | Parenthood | Parenthood |
| Post-Must See TV (2014–2016) ||||||||
| 2014–2015 | Fall | The Biggest Loser | The Biggest Loser | Bad Judge | A to Z | Parenthood | Parenthood |
| 2014–2015 | Mid-season | The Slap / Dateline: The Real Blacklist | The Slap / Dateline: The Real Blacklist | The Blacklist | The Blacklist | Allegiance / The Slap | Allegiance / The Slap |
| 2015–2016 | Fall | Heroes Reborn | Heroes Reborn | The Blacklist | The Blacklist | The Player | The Player |
| 2015–2016 | Winter | You, Me and the Apocalypse | You, Me and the Apocalypse | The Blacklist | The Blacklist | Shades of Blue | Shades of Blue |
| 2015–2016 | Spring | Strong | Strong | The Blacklist | The Blacklist | Game of Silence | Game of Silence |
| "Super Good" Thursdays (2016–2017) ||||||||
| 2016–2017 | Fall | Superstore | The Good Place | Chicago Med | Chicago Med | The Blacklist | The Blacklist |
| 2016–2017 | Winter | Superstore | Powerless | Chicago Med | Chicago Med | The Blacklist: Redemption | The Blacklist: Redemption |
| 2016–2017 | Spring | Superstore | Powerless | Chicago Med | Chicago Med | The Blacklist | The Blacklist |
| Must See TV (second era, 2017–2021) ||||||||
| 2017–2018 | Fall | Superstore | The Good Place | Will & Grace | Great News | Chicago Fire | Chicago Fire |
| 2017–2018 | Late Winter | Superstore | A.P. Bio | Will & Grace | Champions | Chicago Fire | Chicago Fire |
| 2018–2019 | Fall | Superstore | The Good Place | Will & Grace | I Feel Bad | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit |
| 2018–2019 | Winter | The Titan Games | The Titan Games | Brooklyn Nine-Nine | The Good Place | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit |
| 2018–2019 | Spring | Superstore | A.P. Bio | Brooklyn Nine-Nine | Abby's | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit |
| 2019–2020 | Fall | Superstore | Perfect Harmony | The Good Place | Sunnyside | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit |
| 2019–2020 | Late fall | Superstore | Perfect Harmony | The Good Place | Will & Grace | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit |
| 2019–2020 | Winter | Superstore | Brooklyn Nine-Nine | Will & Grace | Indebted | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit |
| 2020–2021 | Fall | Superstore | Connecting | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Dateline NBC | Dateline NBC |
| 2020–2021 | Mid-Fall | Superstore | Superstore | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Dateline NBC | Dateline NBC |
| 2020–2021 | Winter | Mr. Mayor | Superstore | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Dateline NBC | Dateline NBC |
| 2020–2021 | Spring | Manifest | Manifest | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Law & Order: Organized Crime | Law & Order: Organized Crime |
| Post-Must See TV (2021–present) ||||||||
| 2021–2022 | Fall | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Law & Order: Organized Crime | Law & Order: Organized Crime |
| 2021–2022 | Mid-Fall | The Blacklist | The Blacklist | | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Law & Order: Organized Crime | Law & Order: Organized Crime |
| 2021–2022 | Winter | Law & Order | Law & Order | | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Law & Order: Organized Crime | Law & Order: Organized Crime |
| 2022–2023 | Fall | Law & Order | Law & Order | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Law & Order: Organized Crime | Law & Order: Organized Crime |
| 2022–2023 | Spring | The Blacklist | The Blacklist | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Magnum P.I. (R) | Magnum P.I. (R) |
| 2023–2024 | Fall | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (R) | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (R) | Transplant | Transplant | Dateline NBC | Dateline NBC |
| 2023–2024 | Mid-Fall | Law & Order (R) | Law & Order (R) | | Transplant | Transplant | Dateline NBC | Dateline NBC |
| 2023–2024 | Winter | Law & Order | Law & Order | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Law & Order: Organized Crime | Law & Order: Organized Crime |
^1 Because of the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike, shows that would regularly air were replaced with reruns and unscripted programming. A few episodes of Deal or No Deal occupied the 8:00 p.m. time slot on Thursdays during the strike.
^2 During the second half of the 2014–15 season, The Slap initially occupied the 8:00 p.m. time slot; it was moved to the 10:00 p.m. time slot midway through its run after Allegiance was canceled.

## Other series and specials

Several series aired on Thursdays to take advantage of the huge audience. These series include:
* Night Court (summer 1984)
* Our House (September 11, 1986)
* Crime Story (September 18, 1986)
* The Tortellis (January 22, 1987)
* Roomies (March 19, 1987)
* The Bronx Zoo (March 19, 1987)
* The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd (summer 1987)
* Beverly Hills Buntz (November 5, 1987; December 24, 1987)
* Mama's Boy (November 26, 1987)
* Day by Day (March 3, 1988)
* My Two Dads (April 7, 1988)
* Dream Street (April 13, 1989)
* Tattingers (April 20, 1989)
* Baby Boom (July 13, 1989)
* FM (August 17, 1989, September 14, 1989, summer 1990)
* Sister Kate (September 21, 1989)
* Hardball (September 21, 1989)
* Mancuso, F.B.I. (October 19, 1989)
* Ann Jillian (November 30, 1989)
* Down Home (April 12, 1990; February 28, 1991)
* Seinfeld (summer 1990)
* Quantum Leap (summer 1990; June 27, 1991)
* Blossom (July 5, 1990; January 3, 1991)
* Ferris Bueller (August 23, 1990)
* Parenthood (September 6, 1990; repeat of pilot episode)
* Law & Order (September 13, 1990; October 4, 1990; October 11, 1990; June 2, 1994; spring 1997)
* American Dreamer (September 20, 1990)
* Sisters (summer 1991)
* The Adventures of Mark and Brian
* Dear John (September 19, 1991)
* Reasonable Doubts (September 26, 1991)
* The Torkelsons (January 9, 1992)
* Home Fires (June 25, 1992)
* Dateline NBC (October 8, 1992; July 29, 1993; March 31, 1994; June 16, 1994; June 30 – July 14, 1994; July 28 – August 11, 1994; August 25 – September 1, 1994; September 1, 2005)
* Mad About You (summer 1993, August 5, 1999)
* The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (November 5, 1992)
* South Beach (August 12, 1993)
* First Person with Maria Shriver (August 26, 1993; July 21, 1994)
* seaQuest DSV (December 30, 1993)
* Sweet Justice (September 15, 1994)
* Prince Street (March 6, 1997)
* NewsRadio (August 3, 1995, June 1997)
* Men Behaving Badly (summer 1997: June 12, 1997)
* Suddenly Susan (summer 1998)
* 3rd Rock from the Sun (summer 1996, July 9, 1998, summer 1999, summer 2000)
* Working (August 20, 1998)
* Frasier (August 27, 1998, September 3, 1998)
* Just Shoot Me! (August 5, 1999, summer 2000)
* Will & Grace (c. spring-summer 2000)
* Las Vegas (July 8, 2004)
* Medical Investigation (September 9, 2004)
* Medium (January 6, 2005)
Specials that the network has aired on Thursdays to take advantage of the audience on that night:
* Michael Nesmith in Television Parts (March 7, 1985)
* Bigshots in America (June 20, 1985)
* Phil Donahue Examines the Human Animal (August 14, 1986)
* The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson: 24th Anniversary (September 25, 1986)
* Splitting Image: The 1987 Movie Awards (March 26, 1987)
* The Art of Being Nick (August 27, 1987)
* Act II (September 3, 1987)
* NBC Investigates Bob Hope (September 17, 1987)
* The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson: 25th Anniversary (October 1, 1987)
* Late Night with David Letterman: 6th Anniversary Show (February 4, 1988)
* Heart and Soul (July 21, 1988)
* Channel 99 (August 4, 1988)
* Stand by for HNN: The Hope News Network (September 8, 1988)
* The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson: 26th Anniversary (October 6, 1988)
* Late Night with David Letterman: 7th Anniversary Show (February 2, 1989)
* Jackee (May 11, 1989)
* The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson: 27th Anniversary (October 26, 1989)
* The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson: 28th Anniversary (September 27, 1990)
* The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson: 29th Anniversary (October 3, 1991)
* Bob Hope's Star-Studded Comedy Special of the New Season (September 1991)
* The Funny Women of Television (October 24, 1991)
* Late Night with David Letterman: 10th Anniversary Show (February 6, 1992)
* The Comedy Store's 20th Anniversary (September 24, 1992)
* A Spinal Tap Reunion (December 31, 1992)
* Hillary: America's First Lady (June 10, 1993)
* The Michael Jordan Special (August 5, 1993)
* The Seinfeld Story (November 25, 2004)

## Summer programming

Series airing on Thursday night during and after the run of "Must See TV" during the summer months have included Spy TV, Come to Papa, Last Comic Standing, Hit Me, Baby, One More Time, The Law Firm, Windfall and Love Bites.

## Ratings

* Highest Rated Episode in the 1990s: 84.0 million viewers (Cheers: Series Finale – "One for the Road"; May 1993; 9:22 p.m.-11:00 p.m. ET)
* Highest Rated Episode in the 2000s: 52.5 million viewers (Friends: Series Finale – "The Last One"; May 6, 2004; 9:00 p.m.-10:06 p.m. ET)
* Highest Rated Episode of the line-up (Drama): 48.0 million viewers (ER: "Hell and High Water"; November 1995; 9:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. ET)
* Highest Rated Episode of the line-up (Overall) and Peak viewership: 93.5 million viewers (Cheers: Series Finale; May 1993; 9:22 p.m.-11:00 p.m. ET)
Note: Friends's peak viewership in its 2004 series finale reached 80 million viewers as tallied by the Nielsen ratings (final 5 minutes).